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Rugby

Rassie changes five for Newlands Test

───   MORGAN PIEK 13:00 Thu, 21 Jun 2018

Rassie changes five for Newlands Test | News Article
Elton Jantjies - Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

The Springboks have made five changes to their starting XV which will face England on Saturday in the third at final Test to be played at Newlands in Cape Town.


Elton Jantjies earns another chance at flyhalf for the match, while the Andre Esterhuizen and Jesse Kriel has been named as the centre combination.

Warrick Gelant has been named at fullback for the match, while Willie le Roux moves to the bench.

Upfront, Chiliboy Ralepelle starts at hooker, and the 37-year-old Schalk Brits makes his return international rugby from the bench.

Handré Pollard and Embrose Papier have also been named among the replacements.

One gets the sense that this is most probably the Lions pivot, Jantjies, last chance to impress in the green-and-gold. We know that he is a fine player at Super Rugby level, however, he has just not managed to really establish himself in international rugby.

Earlier in the week, Jantjies, lauded the coach, Rassie Erasmus, for being a very special tactician indeed.

“Rassie is someone special, if you look some of the things he picks up on the field. I don’t think other coaches are even looking for those things. He’s a very different coach.

“We’re starting to find a balance between our running, kicking and passing. There is certainly a good and happy vibe in the camp at present.

“If the coach has a certain mind-set, it is going to affect the other coaches and then filter down to the players.

“Rassie has been great in that respect. I think that all the spectators can see what is happening with this group, both on and off the field.”

With the series having being clinched in Bloemfontein last week, Erasmus, is in the fortunate position to be able to experiment with combination, while at the same time also seeking to take some good momentum into the upcoming rugby championship.

Saturday’s Test which is also set to be the very last international national at Newlands kicks off at 17:05.

Springboks - 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 S'busiso Nkosi, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements – 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Jean-Luc du Preez, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Willie le Roux.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport

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